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Sometime
in my life an image of "courage" developed in my mind. As a toddler, I saw it in
Batman as he fought off villains to protect the innocent people of Gotham City. When I was
10-years old, I looked up to sports heroes who played bravely with injuries for the good
of their teams.
When I reached adolescence, the definition was expanded, encompassing people like
Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Theresa, and Robert Kennedy. However, courage was never a
tangible thing to me. It was always surreal and distant - until a warm spring night my
freshman year in high school. That night, I met real courage for the first time.
I stood paralyzed when I saw George crawl around the floor and happily hug his
"big sister" Molly. I, like everyone, had heard the story. George had come to
live with the Plimptons after a tragic car accident that had claimed his mother's life and
left him with third degree burns all over his body.
[sic] The car he was in had flipped over after it was hit by a car that had crossed the
median line. The man driving the other vehicle was speeding and driving drunk.
George was a very young baby when the accident occurred, and since then has endured
many long painful operations to help improve his quality of life. He should have been
dead; he should have been in a crib crying his eyes out, but he wasn't.
I have learned many lessons from
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George. Among the most important is the
goodness some people exhibit. I admire the generosity of the Plimptons for taking George
into their family. The three Plimpton sisters have adopted him as a younger brother and
have given him unwavering support and affection.
Mrs. Plimpton has given up her job
as a nurse so she can better care for George and help him succeed in his recovery. Drunk
driving and the effects of one mistake have impacted many lives.
George administers a dose
of reality to everyone who meets him. His health problems made me realize how lucky I am
to enjoy the physical capabilities I had always taken for granted. George showed me what
is really important in life.
As a high school student,
I often get caught up in things like math tests, winning sporting events and getting into
college. After spending a few minutes kicking a nerf soccer ball or reading Winnie the
Pooh with George, it becomes obvious what is trivial and what is significant.
George has taught me what
courage really is. As far as I am concerned, he is a hero whose bravery and determination
in his adverse situation are impressive qualities. He faces challenges every day that most
people will not experience in a lifetime, and he does it happily.
So before you use the word
courage again, think of George Harmon and what he has gone through. Then bite your tongue.
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